District and Sessions Judge Mujahid Mustaqeem Ahmed on Friday set free Moonis Elahi from custody after acquitting him in the National Insurance Corporation Limited (NICL) scam. While announcing the judgement, the court held that no charge of money laundering had been established against the accused in the NICL scam, thus his application stood accepted and he should be acquitted in the case.
The court had reserved the judgement on October 5 after concluding the arguments presented by both sides on an application filed by Moonis Elahis u/s 249/A CrPC, seeking acquittal in the case. Per details, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered two separate criminal cases against Moonis Elahi on December 27, 2010 and January 27, 2011, respectively, submitting that Moonis’ manger Muhammad Maalik opened two accounts in Allied Bank Limited New Airport and Dubai Islamic Bank Main Boulevard branches, where Mohsin Warriach deposited Rs 220 million in the first and Rs 100 million in the second account. FIA alleged that the money was actually taken by Moonis. Per FIA’s report, Malik had stated that he opened the accounts on Moonis’ instruction and an amount of Rs 220 million was allegedly transferred to that account.
During the hearing of application filed by Moonis Elahi, his counsels Malik Amjad Pervaiz and Rai Bashir Ahmad argued that all the private prosecution witnesses recorded their statements before the special judge banking offence, however, FIA authorities got their thumb impressions on blank papers and later used them for preparation of their statements to be produced against Moonis before the magistrate. They argued that their client has nothing to do with this scam. They had further argued that their client was neither a beneficiary of the amount, nor was he involved in the NICL scam. Moonis Elahi faced the NICL scam for seven months and four days.
Shujaat: PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Friday said his family had always reposed confidence in the free judiciary and Moonis Elahi’s acquittal was reflective of that freedom and victory of truth over fiction.
Talking to the jubilant leaguers and workers after the release of Moonis, he said our heads were bowed before Almighty Allah on Moonis’ acquittal, adding that the PML-Q was equally thankful to the judiciary. With reference to free judiciary in the country, Shujaat said Moonis returned to the country fearlessly after he heard of false cases against him, adding that he had complete faith in the integrity of institutions in the country. Senior PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi, PML-Q leaders Wajahat Hussain, Shafat Hussain and Rasikh Elahi have thanked the leaguers for their constant support.
Moonis Elahi walks free in NICL scam
